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DEL.ICIO.USHe didn’t know Taylor, but played him on TV
Or how rappers got the idea that Fulton County buildings were great locales for their videos
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eight years ago, Joel McElhannon was a 24-year-old neophyte in Georgia Republican politics. He was a tad overweight, with a shock of black hair. One might have called him stout.
Yet it was McElhannon’s girth that got him the casting call.
It was at the height of the 1998 general election season, and the plea came from John Watson, a party staffer who is now Gov. Sonny Perdue’s chief of staff.
Mitch Skandalakis was the GOP’s abrasive, no-holds-barred candidate for lieutenant governor, and he needed someone who, in bad light, looked like Skandalakis’ Democratic opponent — the hefty Mark Taylor, a state senator from Albany.
Fred Davis, a media consultant known for taking chances in his TV spots, was in charge. He’s the guy who would create Perdue’s “King Rat” Internet commercial in 2002.
Said McElhannon on Tuesday: “They told me to show up at the basement of the Fulton County government at 8 o’clock on a Sunday morning. They padded me up with this foam rubber belly thing that made me a ton bigger, and they put this bath robe on me, and messed up my hair,” he said.
“They told me to kind of shuffle down the hallway. At the end, Fred was like, can you kind of slip and fall? Which is what happened at the end of the commercial. The padding was actually helpful there,” McElhannon recounted.
We are speaking, of course, about the most famous political commercial that most Georgians will never see. It accused Taylor, falsely, of cocaine addiction. The cinderblock hallway was to represent a drug rehab clinic. Skandalakis settled the resulting slander suit.
The TV spot was given rerun status this week, following a Saturday debate between Ralph Reed and Casey Cagle, the two GOP candidates for lieutenant governor. Reed was the aggressor in the confrontation, and prompted Cagle to admit that, yes, he’d given Taylor $1,000 in 1999, following the Democrat’s victory in the race.
Cagle said he and fellow senator Eric Johnson had given identical donations by way of apologizing for the brutality of that particular TV ad.
Cagle also noted that Reed, as a new but heavy-weight political consultant, was major part of the machinery of the Skandalakis campaign. Many Republicans blame that one race for dragging down Guy Millner’s bid for governor.
Reed has distanced himself from the Skandalakis campaign of 1998. And many of those who served on Skandalakis’ campaign staff say that while Reed was valuable during the primary, he wasn’t that much use in the general election.
But no one has mentioned the supreme irony.
Young McElhannon, the stand-in for Taylor, is now Cagle’s top political consultant — strategizing the Cagle fight against Reed.
Like Davis, McElhannon said he was told by Skandalakis campaigners that the documentation behind the commercial was in hand. It wasn’t.
“Looking back on it, it was a horrible thing to do, because it was wrong. As much as I don’t like [Taylor], don’t like his politics, it was not right to flat out lie about somebody. But I was a young naïve kid who thought I was helping out the party,” McElhannon said.
Understand that McElhannon is a predictable witness when it comes to Reed. If Reed didn’t know about that TV spot, McElhannon said, he should have.
“He should have just flat-out walked away. Nothing happens on my campaigns that I don’t know about,” McElhannon said. Something to be filed away, under “Famous Last Words.”
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Former Cagle Guy
April 25, 2006 08:34 PM | Link to this
What hypocracy from the Cagle campaign!!! First they try to blame Reed for a commercial he wasn’t even responsible for only to find out Cagle’s campaign manager starred as Taylor in the aforementioned commercial. This is so typical of the Cagle’s attacks on Reed—no substance, just dirty campaigning.
And now we learn Cagle gave Taylor $1,000 as a campaign contribution. I’m sorry, but I cannot support any Republican candidate who thinks its ok to give Taylor a campaign contribution.
Cagle is toast. Reed wins.
By
April 25, 2006 10:13 PM | Link to this
Skandalakis wouldnt have even been in position to run the ads had Reed not vouched for Skandalakis in the first place and trashed Clint Day as well.
So a 24 year old unpaid volunteer as well as the whole state party knew about the ad, but the consultant that was getting tons of money (read: Almost 10,000 a month) didnt know anything. That doesnt even pass the smell test.
By Sara
April 25, 2006 10:33 PM | Link to this
“Nothing happens on my campaigns that I don’t know about.”
Did he just confess to organizing the sign stealing in Chip Rogers race?
By Jay
April 25, 2006 10:38 PM | Link to this
You’ve got to be kidding me. Ralph makes huge bank off Skandalakis’ campaign and doesn’t know about a TV spot he probably made hundreds of thousands off of.
Whatever.
By Jane
April 26, 2006 12:55 AM | Link to this
Ralph Reed was just a very young man and it takes a while for some people to mature and gain life exprience. He needed to have started working in smaller races. Then he would have learned the humility necessary to take the blame for bad chooses that will now come back to haunt him.
By Debbie
April 26, 2006 05:46 AM | Link to this
The point is the hypocrisy of Cagle to criticize Reed for the ad when his paid consultant played Taylo rin the ad.
You Cagle people are amaqzing. Still playing the same old broken record about Reed and the 1998 Skandalakis campaign.
The person that produced the ad stated in an interview four years ago that Reed did not know the content of the ad until he saw it on tv. Yet Cagle and his blinded supporters keep blaming Reed for the ad. Casey has never been one to let facts get in his way.
The Skandalakis people point blank stated that Reed did not have much to do with the campaign after the primary. Yet Cagle and his supporters keep saying how Reed hurt the GOP in the general election that year.
You Clint Day supporters need to get grip and quit living in the past, it is really quite pathetic. Your candidate got his tail whipped so deal with it and move on. Reed did his job. Mudslinging and dirty tricks happen all he time in politics. Quit whinning like a bunch of babies.
By Tony
April 26, 2006 09:16 AM | Link to this
Ralph Reed was just a very young man??? The very young man had just come from running the Christian Coalition back at its peak. Don’t excuse age for his attitude because he’s much older and uses even sleazier tactics now.
By Tony
April 26, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this
Hey Debbie, you forgot to cut and paste. The Skandalakis people said Ralph wasn’t very much use during the general. That was a slam. It was saying basically Ralph was worthless. A lot of spending with little to show. Isn’t that Reed strategy style and results?
By Tony
April 26, 2006 09:25 AM | Link to this
Well let’s see. Give Taylor some token money after the race to make peace and even protect the GOP senators on their committees, or watch the GOP senators be relegated to nothingness causing two years of strict partisan control at its extreme of the state senate and thus the state government? But I don’t see any mention of attacking Eric Johnson…hmmm.
Frankly I think Cagle’s and Johnson’s moves were bold and noble putting aside partisan differences for the interests of ethical and moral politics. They also put the interests of their party ahead of their own personal agenda…..I seriously doubt Ralph Reed would have EVER done anything like that.
But the Reed supporters would rather line up behind and support a guy who works to preserve gambling, helping China, helping send jobs overseas, etc. You know more about paying for his own foreign car and that posh gated community outside of Atlanta. I think it’s quite amusing how anyone outside of Atlanta would seriously think Ralph cares about them. Honestly does Ralph care about anyone outside his country club house?
By Howard
April 26, 2006 09:51 AM | Link to this
Tony, I am not the least bit suprised you don’t see anything wrong with donating to Democrts. Johnson did not openly brag about doing so as Cagle did. Cagle is weak and caves in to pressure.
I would much rather have a LT. Governor that is strong not a wuss like Cagle is.
I would rather have a Lt. Governor that doesn’t accept contributions from Trial Lawyers to kill Tort Reform as Cagle did in 2004. He was under immense pressure in 2005 so he voted for the package.
I would rather have a Lt. Governor that stands up and fights even when his side is not in power. Not someone like Cagle that cowered like a mouse under Barnes and voted with 27 Democrats and Barnes against a Republican driver’s license bill .
I would rather that puts homeowner’s interest and private property rights ahead of big business. I don’t want someone that introduces legislation that takes away property owners right to sue if they live near a chicken or rendering plant.
Reed’s leadership abilities is far superior to Cagle.
Ralph would not have given Democrats a bribe like Cagle did. Taylor did not even list it as a contribution on his disclosure forms.
Reed has friends worldwide and great contacts. Contacts that could help Georgia bring in industry and not just chicken plants.
Tony, that is right the Skandalakis people said Ralph was useless after the Primary. Then why does Cagle and his supporters still point the finger at Ralph for hurting the GOP Ticket that year. Truth means nothing to Cagle or his supporters.
It is funny Tony that you claim you don’t support Cagle but slam Reed and his supporters every chance he gets. You talk about Reed’s hypocrisy but you completely dodged Cagle’s hypocrisy in blaming Reed for the ad when his paid campaign consultant starred in the ad as Taylor. You claim you don’t support Taylor but condemn Reed . Hmm… What does that tell you? Either you support the Democrat and know Reed will win the Primary or you are a closet Cagle Supporter.
By Tony
April 26, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this
Howard, give me a break. I am like Cagle and think that government and politics does have something besides partisanship. I guess Howard the concept of apologies and breaking bread is not something taught in your household. The Skandalakis campaign was something beyond dispicable. It was the lowest form of politics out there. Cagle and Johnson were the better men in saying that action was not representative of the GOP or politicians in general. They were true men, gentlemen, and Christians to make such a gesture. Howard, it does not surprise me that a Reed supporter would make an issue with this since clearly doing the right thing is something that defies Reed and his people.
Cagle didn’t openly brag about this. He responded due to a Reed attack. And I thought Reed was more concerned about himself rather than attacking his opponent. Ooops. My bad. Reed is a liar.
Howard, it doesn’t matter who I support. I sure as heck don’t support Ralph and that’s all that matters to me.
Howard supports a liar, a man who associates with the likes of Jack Abramoff and counts him as one of his best friends, supports working for companies that ship American jobs overseas, works for companies that help Communist China suppress free spech and democracy, supports amnesty, etc. etc.
Howard, you truly are no different than Ralph. You’d kill your own to serve your own interests. You’d sacrifice your fellow Americans to line the pockets with money. You’d try to take some moral high ground only to respond with the most slanderous comments out there filled with more holes than Swiss cheese.
You keep saying Joel was the person in the ad. But you fail to account for the person behind that sleazy campaign. Why won’t Ralph come out and associate himself with that sleazy campaign? Why is he hiding? Why does he redirect it to sound as if all of the sleaze in that race was Joel’s fault?
Personally, I see more scum in the brains behind the flopped campaign than a person who put on a costume at the order of his employers. Just like Reed, Howard, you like to pass blame on to the little man rather than accept the blame and be a man. Why can’t you and Ralph be a man Howard? Act like you have something and admit to Reed’s faults. We know Ralph won’t. He’d be more likely to blame you than accept blame. Gutless and underserving of elected office.
By Howard
April 26, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
Tony, again facts mean nothing to you. The media consultant that produced that ad stated publicly over four years ago that Reed had nothing do with that ad. You even said:,”. The Skandalakis people said Ralph wasn’t very much use during the general. That was a slam. It was saying basically Ralph was worthless. A lot of spending with little to show. Isn’t that Reed strategy style and results?”
You can’t have it both ways Tony. Your hatred of Reed has clouded your reasoning.
When you say gutless, you describe Cagle.
To even infer Reed is gutless is lsoing a grip on realtity. Look at all the negative publicity that has been launched at Reed an he is still standing strong. Cagle oculd not even stand up against Roy Barnes…
By John Rich
April 26, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this
It seems that most of the information about Dr. Reed is coming from the papers, not Casey Cagle. You can beleive or no beleive the papers, but they are the people Ralph’s supporters need to be critical of not Casey Cagle. As for me, Ralph is too tied to national moderate Republicans for my taste. I do not know Casey, but his experience is with Georgia and Georgians not win and cheese Republicans like Guiliani, Gingrich, and the Bush’s.
By Tony
April 26, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
Howard, I look forward to reading your comments every day. It brings a smile to my face and reminds me why politics is as pathetic as it is.
Let’s look at this logically. Reed espouses to be ethical and Christian. But look at every race he has been involved with. How nasty and negative are those races? How polarizing are those races? And speaking of race, why is race always brought up? Does Ralph have white linen hanging in his closet? If he was as moral and ethical as he pretends to be, why are his races so pathetic?
So you admit Ralph was worthless to Skandalakis in the General Howard? Why would you support someone who did such a pathetic job in a Primary that his client booted him? You can’t have it both ways either. You just defended a lousy consultant.
I see Ralph is already digging up the old Reed strategy of making this a Metro Atlanta vs. Rural GA race. It’s funny since almost all of his GA money comes from Buckhead. And considering Ralph lives in a gated country club community, it makes for a lousy argument and strategy.
I notice Howard you conveniently avoid rebutting anything about Ralph’s clientel on the corporate side. You keep trying to defend the guy but can only come up with a little of what he does. Try doing some full research into the guy before blindly following him and stirring the Kool Aid spoon.
By Debbie
April 26, 2006 06:27 PM | Link to this
Who cares about Reed’s clientel on the corporate side? I sure don’t.
Reed’s record is very well known. Every move he makes has been documented in the press and so are his positions on issues.
Cagle supporters can’t have it both ways about the Skandalakis campaign. You keep avoiding that point. Reed had very little to do with the general election. It is pretty evident his job was to secure the nomination for Skandalakis, which he did successfully. Your buddy Cagle keeps beating dead horse by blaming Ralph for the 1998 general election results.
Cagle gave Taylor a contribution/bribe to gain favor so he would not deal so harshly with him. It really did a lot of good. Taylor ruled the State Senate with an iron fist and shut out the GOP every chance he could. That is why once the GOP took control of the State Senate, they retaliated by stripping Taylor of part of his authority..
As for the negative campaigning, I don’t see you condeming Cagle for it and he did start it.
As for the kool aid comment, you and Cagle will find that on July 18th kool aid will replace Coca Cola as the preferred beverage in Georgia.
By Former Cagle Guy
April 26, 2006 06:49 PM | Link to this
Just saw where Cathy Cox’s campaign worker was fired for editing Mark Taylor’s entry on an internet encyclopedia to reflect negatively on Taylor. Now comes word that a senior member of Casey Cagle’s campaign has done the same to Ralph Ree’s entry on the same site.
Of course the Cagle campaign is bragging about it and is not taking action against their staff member.
As a Republican I am really disappointed. It is sad when Cathy Cox shows more integrity than Republican Cagle given the same circumstances. I am ashamed of the Cagle campaign, its negative attacks, the candidate’s political contributions to Mark Taylor, and now this unethical act.
July 18 can’t come soon enough. I believe Cagle will do anything to get elected and as the election draws near we are seeing his true character, or lack of it.
I am more and more a former Cagle guy and my support goes to Reed.
By Bobby
April 26, 2006 08:14 PM | Link to this
If Cox fired her guy then Cagle should fire his. No one should do the negative tricks thing on the internet, be caught, and not suffer the consequences.
Let’s see if Cagle has the same character as Cox to take quick action. My vote is on the line.
Character should trump dirty tricks.
By Brian
April 27, 2006 12:49 AM | Link to this
Cagles guys didnt make an personal attack about Ralphs kid killing someone while drunk. Morton Brillant did.
By
April 27, 2006 05:45 AM | Link to this
Kool aid replaces Coke in Georgia? Get outta here, Debbie. ‘Nuf said.
By Debbie
April 27, 2006 06:52 AM | Link to this
The point is the Cagle campaign did post unflattering things about Reed on Wilkepedia just like Cox’s guy did.
Dirty tricks are nothing new to the Cagle campaign so don’t expect any firings…
http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=61022
By Tony
April 27, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this
Reed’s people preaching about dirty tricks. Thanks for my laugh of the day. It’s even more funny when so-called ‘former Cagle guy’ attacks Cagle but defends the most ethical person in America. Notice none of these minions can’t defend their guy with any substance. Debbie says she could care less about Ralph’s clients on the corporate side. SO she’s a half-educated voter who would support someone only on part of the story. Speaking volumes for Reed people. They could care less what he does and can’t defend him with any crediility.
Debbie, you clearly can’t even acknowledge that Ralph royally screwed up the GOP’s chances in ‘98. You keep whining about the General but fail to even touch Reed’s WONDERFUL strategy and tactics that got him tossed from the rest of the cycle. Funny, if he was sooooo wonderful, why was he dropped? Why was America’s best political strategist dropped halfway through the campaign? How much money did Skandalakis spend and what did he have to show for it? What was it? Dragging the whole party down that cycle? Hmmm.